Body supporting unit for furniture



La n! March INVENTOR. CHHRL5 M01. L4

A TTORNEY United States Patent BODY SUPPORTINGUNIT FOR FURNITURE Charles P. Molla, Westbury, NY. Application June 19, 1957, Serial No. 666,693 2 Claims. (Cl. 155-187) This invention relates to articles of furniture, such as chairs, settees, couches, chaises longues and similar articles. More particularly, the invention deals with what I term a body supporting unit in the form of a pre-fabricated webbing, wherein terminal ends of the straps of the webbing include hook-shaped coupling members for engaging the framework of the furniture of a seat, bottom or backrest portion of an article of fumiture for support of the body when positioned in or on the furniture.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with units of the character described adapted to be coupled with coupling portions suitably fixed to the framework of furniture.

- The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the corner portion of a seat, backrest, or'furniture bottom, showing a portion of a supporting unit coupled therewith.

' Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, indicated,

in dotted lines, an alternative use of the unit.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view, partially in section,

of a small portion of furniture frame of round or tubular cross-sectional form, illustrating an attachment thereto for mounting of a unit, similar to that indicated in Fig. 1 therewith, the section being on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. 4, showing a modified form of frame construction.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing the unit attached to a frame of diiferent cross-sectional form and illustrating a different type of support for the unit.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a part of a rail of furniture, preferably of the wood frame type, showing the end portion of one of the straps of a webbing unit, generally similar to the webbing of the other figures; and

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88 of Fig. 7, indicating the webbing strap, as appearing in Fig. 7, in dotted lines and in a modified arrangement in full lines.

In furniture of the type and kind under consideration, there has always existed a problem for support of the occupant in the framework of the furniture in a manner which will provide secure and long lasting support while, at the same time, establish sufiicient yieldability to provide a comfortable support and bracing of the body of the person occupying the furniture. Another distinctive feature of my invention resides in the fact that the unit, or the various straps of the unit, can be quickly and easily attached and detached for the repair or replacement whenever desired without destruction to or marring of the furniture frame, particularly when the latter is composed of wood, rather than metal.

Turning now to Fig. l of the drawing, I have here indicated, in part, a body supporting webbing unit 10, which Patented Mar. 24, 1959 2 will be generally illustrative of the webbing units, portions only of which are illustrated in conjunction with other figures. Each unit consists of a plurality'of crossstraps 11, generally of similar construction, and interlaced in the over and under manner illustrated in part in Fig. 1. These straps can be composed of any desired material which may be substantially non-extensible in some uses and have slight elastic or extensible properties in other uses, particularly where a highly yieldable support for the occupant is desired. In such latter uses, the straps can be composed of suitable plastic material, having the slight stretch properties and to the ends of the straps are cemented, or otherwise secured, substantially rigid hook-shaped coupling members 12. These members, in some instances, can be composed of strong and durable plastics capable of withstanding the stresses and strains to which webbing units of the type and kind under consideration are susceptible.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the unit 10 has its hook-shaped members 12 engaging a horizontally flat rectangular frame 13. However, this frame can be av'ertically disposed frame, in which event, the strap would extend from the frame, in the manner indicated in dotted lines at 11 in Fig. 2. In this latter use, it will be apparent that the frame could be of angle iron cross-sectional form with one of the legs of the frame extending along and beneath the strap 11', as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

At this time, it is pointed out that the frame 13 can constitute a seat frame or the framework of the bottom of of any similar type of furniture, such as a couch, two seater or the like, or it may constitute the frame of a chaise longue. On the other hand, this frame can be the backrest frame of such pieces of furniture. With some types of metal furniture, the unit 10 would constitute the yieldable backing and seatrest of the furniture and, in such cases, it is preferred that intersections of the straps of the unit 10, as at 14, be cemented together, so that the unit can be pre-fabricated with definite spacing of the cross-straps one with respect to the other, leaving the ends of the straps with the-members 12 attached thereto, free for attachment or detachment with respect to the supporting frame.

With a structure of this type and kind, if the unit becomes damaged and rendered useless, the owner can simply purchase a new unit and replace it for the old or worn out unit, the operation being performed very quickly and without any cost to the owner beyond the purchase price of the replacement unit. At this time, it is pointed out that, in making repairs of this type and kind to other types of supports, require, in many instances, several hours of work, which materially increase the cost of the repair to be made and, further, require the services of a skilled workman.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, I have shown the adaptation of my units to furniture employing round or tubular frames. Here, a rod is shaped to form a plurality of loops 15 spaced apart to be consistent with spacing of parallel straps of a webbing unit to be employed. The rod intermediate the loops, as at 16, bears directly upon the surface of the frame 17 and is welded or otherwise fixed thereto.

Considering Fig. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that the loops 15 are preferably arranged upon an under or inner surface of the frame 17, so that the hook members 12 of the straps 11 will be disposed within outer peripheral boundaries of the frame and the straps will partially envelope the frame, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing, I have shown at 18 a modified form of frame, being modified to the extent that the rod, forming the loops 15, is dispensed with and subs'tituted therefor the frame 18 has longitudinally spaced apertures 19, similar to the spacing of the loops 15, to be engaged by the hooks 12 of the straps 11. With this construction, it is preferred that the apertures 19 be disposed -u'pon an inner surface of the frame so that the strap engages, :in snug engagement, one-half the 'diameter of the frame, in the manner diagrammatically shown.

-In -Fig. 6 of the-drawing, a rectangular metal rod frame 20 is-s'hown, to the under surface of which is welded a rod 21, the welding being preferably at intervals, but the rod is positioned closely adjacent the outer surface 22 of the frame so that the hook member'lz can lie upon this surface with its hook still engaging the rod ,21. The strap here passes over the upper surface of the fame 20. However, it will 'be understood that, in some instances, the strap 11 may extend over thesurfaceof the frame opposed to-the surface 22, in -which latter event, the rod 21 would be disposed upon the inner rather than the lower surface of the frame.

In Figs. 7-and 8 of the-drawing, I have shown another adaptation of my invention, wherein 23 represents a part of one rail portion of a wooden frame, to a surface of which is attached a metallic strip '24, as, for example, byscrews '24. The strip 24 is bent at intervals to form raised loop portions 25 which would be generally similar to the loops 15 and adapted to receive coupling hook members 26 which, in this instance, could be metallic, and which are riveted, as at 27, to a folded-over end portion 28 :of the strap 29 of the webbing unit. Here thestrap 29 can be composed of plastics or it could be composed of any type and kind of fabric webbing, particularly where the latter is used in the support of seat mechanism, as in common upholstered furniture. ln'this latter instance, the straps or webbing can be composed of the heavy burlap jute or smiliar types of webbings.

With this type of construction, the common practice has been to tack or nail webbings to the woodenrails of the furniture frame, and, as is well known, repair or replacement has often required the renewal of the frame rail. However, with a positive coupling strip, such as the strip 24, permanently secured to a surface of the rail, then itis a simple matter to renew or replace the supporting straps which, in this instance, may be individual straps'or the straps can be pre-assembled in a unit to replace the entire webbing.

Considering Fig. 7, it will 'appear'that a'shim 30 is positioned between the hook of the member 26 and the outer edge of the loop 25 of the strip 24. The shim has an offset end, as at 31, .to facilitate handling of the same. This shim can be used as a repair part to tighten a strap which may have become stretched and, from this standpoint, the thickness of the shim would care for the tightening operation to be performed. The shim has been omitted from Fig. 8 in order to simplify the showing.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A webbing unit for mounting on the frame of an article of furniture, said unit comprising a plurality of cross-straps secured together where crossed one with respect to the other, said straps having inner surfaces and outer exposed surfaces, coupling means fixed to inner surfaces only of end portions of said straps, said frame including :acoupling element extending longitudinally of and fixed to a surface of the frame, and said coupling means comprising aflat plate terminating in a hook end adapted to engage the-element of the frame in mounting the webbing unit on the frame.

.2. A webbing unit for mounting on the frame of an article of furniture, said unit comprising a plurality of cross-straps'secured together where crossed one with respect to the other, said straps having inner surfaces and outer exposed surfaces, coupling means fixed to inner surfaces ;only of end portions of said straps, said frame includinga coupling :element extending longitudinally of and :fixed to a surface of the frame, said couplingmeans comprising a flat plate terminating in a hook end adapted to engage the element of the frame in mounting the webbing unit on the frame, and said element including loops spaced along the frame engaged by the books of the coupling means of said straps.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,772,088 Sallop Aug. 5, 1930 2,096,822 Oldharn Oct. 26,1937 2,444,873 Goldberg July 6, 1948 

